Tag: noodles

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Spinach & Parmesan Orzo

My daughter is a self-described “carb-ivore” and it was always a struggle to get her to eat her vegetables (or anything other than starchy foods) as a kid. After one ill-fated attempt to convince her that cauliflower au gratin was made from noodles, I started improvising with recipes like this one. That said, this is a simple but satisfying side dish for many meals.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Orzo Pasta
  • 1 Large Clove Garlic
  • 1/4 cup Butter or Margarine
  • 1/2 cup Frozen Spinach (thawed and drained)
  • 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

  1. Boil orzo per package directions. Drain and keep warm.
  2. Peel and finely mince garlic.
  3. In a large skillet, melt butter or margarine over medium heat.
  4. Add garlic to skillet and saute for about two minutes.
  5. Add spinach to skillet and cook until hot, stirring to mix well with garlic and butter or margarine.
  6. Reduce heat to low, and add cooked orzo to skillet. Mix vigorously until pasta is well combined with spinach mixture.
  7. Add parmesan to skillet and mix well.
  8. Remove from heat and serve, adding a little sprinkle of extra parmesan on top of each serving.
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Chicken Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of my favorite take-out treats. So of course, I had to figure out how to make it at home, too! I’ve tweaked several recipes into this version, which mimics my favorite restaurant’s flavors, but without the styrofoam box and disposable chopsticks. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 (12 ounce) Package Rice Noodles
  • 1 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1-1/2 tsp. White Wine Vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. Oyster Sauce
  • 1 tsp. White Sugar
  • 1/2 to 2 tsp. Hot Chili Garlic Sauce*
  • 1 cup Bean Sprouts
  • 2 tbsp. Peanuts (finely chopped)
  • 1 to 2 Green Onions (chopped)
  • 1 Lemon or Lime (sliced into wedges)

* Hot Chili Garlic Sauce is a powerful concoction, suitable for Asian cuisine or removing rust stains from a shower drain. Add it sparingly, and taste frequently so as not to damage your palate or your esophagus.

Directions

  1. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 40 to 50 minutes, or until soft. Drain, and set aside.
  2. As with much Asian cooking, once you heat the oil there’s not a lot of time to dilly-dally. So, before your noodles are finished soaking, cut the chicken, chop the green onions and peanuts, and slice the lemon or lime. Then get the remainder of your ingredients assembled and ready.
  3. Heat oil on medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet.
  4. Sauté chicken until just barely cooked. Remove chicken from pan, and set aside.
  5. Add additional oil to wok or skillet if needed.
  6. Beat egg and cook in hot oil until firm, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks.
  7. Return chicken to pan, and cook while mixing for 3 to 5 more minutes, until chicken has browned.
  8. Add softened noodles, vinegar, oyster sauce, sugar, and hot chili garlic sauce. (Adjust seasonings to taste.)
  9. Mix while cooking, until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes.
  10. Add bean sprouts and chopped green onions, and cook while mixing for 3 more minutes.
  11. Serve, and garnish with chopped peanuts and wedges of lemon or lime. Squeeze juice onto serving before enjoying.
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